We recently participated in the Alternative Legal Management and IT conference which is attended by law firms ranging in size from only a few people to several hundred. One of the presentations on the first day focused on how it can be a lonely role in senior leadership positions, as well as the benefits that can come from interacting with peers and talking to experts in the different fields required to run a successful law firm.

In the 10 years I have worked at 3Kites, the type of law firms we have worked with has changed. A decade ago we had a small number of clients in the sub-400-people space, however, with the advent of cloud and software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions, tools that were only available to larger law firms are now available for much smaller firms. Due to this, we have seen the size of firms we work with over the past five+ years change considerably and now we regularly provide ongoing advice and guidance to firms in the small to medium category alongside those larger firms (Magic Circle, global) we have always worked with. While our approach changes to make it appropriate for each client, we ensure we take the learning from all our engagements to enhance the support and guidance we provide to any of our clients.

Despite the size of the client, the requirements often remain the same – honest, informed, independent advice from highly experienced people in a range of areas impacting law firms. Examples of our projects with small to medium law firm clients include:

• Knowledge management reviews. Working with firms who wish to utilise existing documentation but have no practice support lawyers to implement an ongoing approach to knowledge management. This allows our clients to implement repeat processes using approved documentation rather than being reliant on information held by one or two individuals, reducing risk while increasing the consistency of their advice.
• Client/matter inception (CMI). Reviewing the process in place to open new matters and clients, considering AML/KYC (anti-money laundering/know your customer) requirements. We use our business analysts to review the process legal teams undertake for CMI to understand where delays or complexity may be impacting the process and considering improvements using existing systems and/or additional tools where relevant. We also assist with change management aspects of projects which can often have the greatest positive impact on outcomes.
• Client relationship management (CRM) projects. Helping firms select a CRM which meets their needs more accurately. Long-established systems have been in place for many years but we are now seeing new products that vary in functionality, complexity and cost. These systems may include features which are not needed or never implemented – helping a firm select and implement a system which meets its needs rather than being overly ambitious can help with acceptance of a new solution while containing costs.
• Managing relationships with suppliers. Firms frequently change suppliers, often frustrated with the performance/service they have received from an incumbent but where alternatives may be no better. We regularly assist clients in managing relationships when a project is stuck and/or the firm is unhappy with a supplier, our approach being to align the business and its IT team with suppliers to the benefit of all parties. This may be short term for a specific project or longer term in building and maintaining relationships with key suppliers to ensure the services being delivered match expectations.
• Assisting with difficult projects. It’s not uncommon for a project to become stalled with progress slowing or stopping completely. When a project is stuck, we work with sponsors and those involved in delivery to understand where issues are occurring and why. In many cases, this reflects a breakdown in communication and teams differing in their approach on how each believes the project should continue. Once the position is understood, the 3Kites team can put in place governance to support the project continuing and provide a realistic plan, taking into account the issues that have been experienced. Utilising our project and people management skills, we are then able to lead the project or provide support to the team which needs to deliver the project with each providing a successful outcome.
• Ongoing fractional leadership. Our fractional roles provide ongoing strategic advice, guidance and team management to firms which do not need/want a full-time senior role for IT, knowledge management or project leadership. Our fractional input differs between clients, depending on the specific needs of each but always providing an experienced person to define requirements and deliver in the necessary areas.
• Practice management (including all-in-one) system selection and implementations. A practice management system (PMS) is one of the core systems within a law firm and also one of the most expensive it will have, not just in terms of ongoing costs but for the initial implementation too. Making the right decision for a system that is likely to be in place for 10+ years is therefore important. We have a streamlined selection process for smaller firms that we adapt to reflect specific requirements, helping firms make an informed choice while fully understanding what they will and will not be getting with their new PMS.

If you would like further information about any of the 3Kites’ services, please contact us using the following details: Jon Howells, 07917 367872 or email [email protected].

Jon Howells is a director of 3Kites. This is the 45th article in the series Navigating Legaltech. 

--------------------

About 3Kites and Kemp IT Law  
3Kites is an independent consultancy, which is to say that we have no ties or arrangements with any suppliers so that we can provide our clients with unfettered advice. We have been operating since 2006 and our consultants include former law firm partners (one a managing partner), a GC, two law firm IT directors and an owner of a practice management company. This blend of skills and experience puts us in a unique position when providing advice on IT strategy, fractional IT management, knowledge management, product selections, process review (including the legal process) and more besides. 3Kites often works closely with Kemp IT Law (KITL), a boutique law firm offering its clients advice on IT services and related areas such as GDPR. Where relevant (eg when discussing cloud computing in a future article) this column may include content from the team at KITL to provide readers with a broader perspective including any regulatory considerations.